Annales Universitatis Mariae Curie-Sklodowska. Sectio D: Medicina最新文献

Heavy metals are too well-known environmental pollutants of particularly dangerous effect to human health. Because of their wide usage in many industrial branches they are present everywhere in the air, water and soils. Food contamination by heavy elements is hard to avoid and it is a result of environmental contamination by dusts, industrial gases, sewage, waste and coal burning processes. One of the most harmful heavy metals, widely spread in nature is cadmium. Toxic cadmium action involves free oxygen generation and inactivation of protein containing cysteine residues with -SH groups. It influences many metabolic processes causing great damage in many organs. Cadmium can also interact with some essential elements leading to their homeostasis disorders.

The major aim of the review is presenting contemporary diagnostic methods applied in gastric imaging as well as their place in clinical treatment. The authors discuss both conventional and modern methods. Although the method of double contrast barium meal is still the most important in stomach diagnostics, the modern methods such as EUSG, CT and MRI are becoming more and more meaningful not only in evaluating gastric neoplastic pathological changes. All applied diagnostic procedures should not be competitive but complementary and constitute an excellent means in hands of an experienced clinicist and radiologist.

Traumas, accidents and intoxications are one of the main medical as well as social problems of the end of the previous and the present century. The number of accidents in the rural areas has been rising for the past 20 years. Little or lack of knowledge on protection of the own health against traumas, accidents and intoxications, as well as incidents such as electrocution or drowning, is a considerable problem. The study comprised 3,853 disabled persons and was carried out on the basis of physical examination (File of medical examination, File of environmental studies, File of the disabled). There were carried out statistical analyses concerning relationships of age, gender, employment, level of education and health state. The results of the studies conducted in the years 1987-2000 testify to the fact that among numerous reasons of trauma, there predominate falls, accidents connected with operating machines and appliances, mainly electric, road accidents, blows and crushes, contact with farm animals as well as electrocution and resulting burns. The most common sequels of accidents is trauma to lower extremities, upper extremities, head, thorax, spine, multiple trauma and general contusion.

The frequency of the abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) increases in older population, especially in men older than 50 years. In most cases the AAAs are revealed occasionally in routine ultrasound examination or in CT performed due to other reasons. The aim of the study was the assessment of the diagnostic value and limitations of ultrasound examination in the evaluation of the abdominal aortic aneurysms. The ultrasound examination is a quick, cheap diagnostic modality in revealing the abdominal aortic aneurysm. It may be useful in mass screening, and control of patients with small aneurysm. But ultrasonographic assessment is not accurate enough in the evaluation of all critical features of the aneurysm and preoperative evaluation. In emergency and obese patients the ultrasound examination may fail in visualizing the abdominal aorta. In long aneurysm in ultrasonography the assessment of the involvement of the thoracic aorta is impossible.

In the recent years, the prevalence of adenocarcinomas of the esophagus has substantially increased. At present its prevalence in the USA is comparable to that of squamous carcinoma (5/100,000 a year). In 80-90% of cases esophageal adenocarcinoma is located in 1/3 of the lower esophagus and is mainly derived from Barrett's esophagus (BE). The role of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection in the pathogenesis of gastritis and gastric ulcer disease has been well known and documented. However, its role in the pathogenesis of esophageal reflux disease, its complications, particularly regarding the risk of Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma is still being studied. The relation between Hp infection and BE has been discussed for many years. The importance of the problem is warranted by the wide prevalence of both Hp infection and reflux disease in the population. The above mentioned findings confirm the protective effects of Hp infection in BE. Despite numerous studies some doubts concerning the relations between Hp infection and BE are still to be explained.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. It has been hypothesized that hyperglycaemia may damage vascular endothelium and retina by inducing the synthesis of oxidant reactive species. The aim of the present study was to estimate lipid peroxidation by detecting the concentration of malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal in diabetic patients with retinopathy, subjects without retinopathy and the reference group. Sixty-one patients were studied, including 30 patients with severe non-proliferative retinopathy in NIDDM and 31 diabetic patients without retinopathy. The reference group were 11 systemic healthy patients. Concentration of malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal was measured in plasma sample using a Lipid peroxidation Assay Kit (Calbiochem-Novabiochem Corp.). The concentration of lipid peroxidation products in patients with retinopathy was statistically significantly elevated in comparison to diabetic patients without retinopathy (p < 0.001) and the reference group (p < 0.001). We do not notice any significant differences in levels of MDA and 4-HNE between patients without diabetic retinopathy and the reference group. In view of our results we can conclude that oxidative stress is an important risk factor in the development of diabetic retinopathy.

Patch tests (PT) are a significant element of allergological diagnostics. PT are based on the type IV immunological reaction according to Gell and Commbs classification and serve as a diagnostic tool in evaluation of contact skin reactivity. In the Allergic Diseases Diagnostic Centre, Medical University in Poznań, contact allergy is diagnosed by using TROLAB--a standard kit of 23 contact allergens. The allergens are applied on the skin of the interscapular or suprascapular area in Finn Chambers, attached to a hypoallergic plaster. Evaluation of PT results is performed after 48, 72 and even after 96 hrs after application of allergens. The paper describes a case of a very late response to one of contact allergens--paraphenylenediamine (the reaction was observed 15 days after application of patch tests). The precise pathomechanism of this phenomenon, as well as all factors inducing skin reactivity still remain unexplained. Correct instruction of the patient in case of appearance of a very late response to contact allergen will facilitate the diagnostic procedure and will enable correct interpretation of results.

1,2,4-Triazole is the structural element of many drugs that have different pharmacological spectrum of activity. Besides, from the literature data it follows that 1,2,4-triazoles and its fused systems show antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities. The obtained compounds were tested for their potential antimicrobial activity. Microbiological tests conducted on 106 strains of bacteria, 6 strains of yeast-like fungi and 3 strains of moulds have shown that all the tested compounds in the examined concentrations (100 microg ml(-1) and 200 microg ml(-1)) had no influence on the growth of the tested bacteria and moulds. It has been found that among variously substituted derivatives of imidazotriazole system compound V significantly inhibited the growth of 6 strains of Candida albicans in the examined concentrations. Its chemical structure was similar to novel antifungal agents described in the literature.

Caesarean section is one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures in current obstetric practice. There are several reasons for this upward tendency, including well developed hemotherapy, anesthesia, antibiotic treatment and skilled doctors. Despite such risks as uterine rupture, necessity of blood transfusion or the possibility of the necessity of ending the delivery by means of surgery, it is possible, in justified cases, to attempt spontaneous labor. A decision jointly made by the patient and her doctor, based on careful consideration of benefits and risks, as well as positive attitude on the woman's part may lead to positive outcome of labor. Taking the above factors into account we have decided to present a study of a difficult, operational labor after two Caesarean sections.

The experiment was carried out on Wistar rat males weighting about 200 g. Animals from experimental group I received 20% ethanol for drinking (ad libitum), animals from experimental group II--cephalexin in the dose of 42 mg/24 h, animals from experimental group III--cephalexin and ethanol in mentioned doses. After 10 days animals were decapitated and specimens of the stomach were taken from the greater curvature. It was stated that 10-day administration of 20% ethanol causes hyperemia of the gastric mucous membrane and the decrease of secretory activity of the glands. On the contrary, cephalexin causes the increase of secretory activity of chief and parietal cells. Concomitant administration of ethanol and cephalexin damages the gastric mucous membrane causing its narrowing, flattening of gastric pits and atrophy of secretory cells in the glands.